This disclosure is related to rubber, elastomer, or polymer products, and more particularly to a tire that incorporates a radio frequency identification device (RFID) tag or assembly, and a manufacturing method that incorporates a RFID tag or assembly in the product or tire, and will be described with respect thereto. Selected aspects of this disclosure, however, may find application in related environments and applications.
Manufacturers believe that incorporating a RFID tag into a product such as a tire would provide significant benefits. For example, if the RFID tag could be effectively molded into the product, then the manufacturing quality of the product could be improved. Specifically, during manufacture, removing variability in manufacturing one product to the next, or tightening tolerances during the manufacturing process, could be achieved. One example of how manufacturing could be improved is to incorporate the RFID tag early in the manufacturing process. This requires the RFID tag to be able to withstand high temperatures, for example, associated with curing or vulcanization. Use of an insulating material that encapsulates the RFID chip, die, or electronic component has allowed the tag to survive the curing process.
Another problem was to reduce the size of the RFID tag. If the RFID tag were too big, the tag would constitute too great a percentage of foreign material. Unfortunately, reducing the size of the tag had the adverse effect of limiting the read range associated with the RFID tag. Consequently, if the RFID tag were reduced in size, and made sufficiently durable, antennas were needed to assure that a sufficient read range were achieved.
One way to reduce the issue of foreign material was to replace a copper or conductive metal used as antenna with a conductive rubber, elastomer, or polymer material, sometimes referred to hereafter as a conductive polymer material. The conductive polymer material provided flexibility and reduced fatigue factor otherwise associated with metallic antennas. Further, the conductive polymer material exhibited very similar properties to the polymer that is typically used in the product, such as the sidewall construction of tires.
A RFID electronic die or chip is encapsulated in heat resistive embodiments. The RFID chip preferably included first and second protruding metallic antenna connection points. These first and second connection points provided a mechanical and electrical interface to the conductive polymer antenna, thereby completing the electronic portion of the RFID tag. The remainder of the design of the tag is typically focused on incorporating the RFID tag into the manufacture of the product. For example in the manufacture of a tire preferably the RFID tag is used at a desired radial location, sometimes referred to as the “home position” in the green tire. Each tire carcass and each tire assembly process incorporates the RFID tag in the home position. All steps of the production process used to build and test the green tire can thus be made more accurately and with less variation. For example, the RFID tag incorporated in the green tire reduces variability associated with a machine operator and thus results in a consistent, repeatable, and improved overall product quality. Some of these same manufacturing benefits can be achieved with other products.
Improving quality is just one benefit associated with incorporating the RFID tag into the product. Another benefit associated with a RFID tag incorporated in the product is associated with storage or warehousing of the products. If a suitable read range can be attained, inventory control can be significantly improved. Likewise, data can be more easily collected from a product in use if the read range is maximized.
Accordingly, flexibility is required to accommodate or incorporate different chip structures into the RFID tag, and there is also a need to maximize the read range of the product that includes an RFID tag.